WayFM /Ft. Myers “Jar Wars”
WayFM /Ft. Myers just wrapped up “Jar Wars” their annual PB&J Drive with a record haul of 12,595.3 net pounds of Peanut Butter and Jelly raised in May! Add that to 8,861 pounds raised last September for a whopping 21, 456.3 pounds OR over 10.7 tons in the last 10 months! All donations went to Harry Chapin Food Bank who supplies all food shelves throughout Southwest Florida.
Over 50 businesses, churches and schools decorated their collection boxes, put together fun social media posts and videos and went head to head in the Star Wars themed food drive by “Fighting the dark side of hunger with the force of generosity” by collecting the most PB&J during the month of May.
Operations Director Tim Norton says “:One special story came from Pastor Pam Antonucci of The Faith Center in Fort Myers, FL, who shared about Ron Skibinski who ran their food pantry before they moved the church location and had to close it for lack of space,” Antonucci told WayFM on June 4. “He loved helping people, and the food pantry was his ‘purpose.” With a heavy heart, Antonucci shared that Skibinski’s health deteriorated over the past few months, an agonizing battle with COPD that landed him in intensive care, and ultimately, claimed his life on May 1. As Christ-followers, we know that in death there is life. Ron knew it too. It’s a hope we all hold onto every single day. And yet, even in his final moments, moments where he needed the help himself, Skibinski chose to serve. He chose to give. He chose to be the hands and feet of Jesus. “He requested that I go and buy $300 worth of peanut butter and jelly for the WayFM PB&J food drive, and I did. He passed away a week later and we still had the jars in the lobby from him,” Antonucci said. “He truly cared about helping people have enough food and had been on the other end receiving food many times.” One last request. One last chance to love his neighbors. Dozens of families impacted forever. “I know that I won’t ever look at a jar of peanut butter and jelly the same again because of Ron,” Antonucci said.
